January – June 2012
ArchiCAD Training – Coaching Call – May 15, 2012
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 ArchiCAD Training Session Notes

QUESTION ANSWER SUMMARY AND NOTES START TIME
Introduction    
Two meshes adjacent to each other that are separate but adjoining. Is there an easy way to align them in elevation to each other Start 0:02:24
  ArchiCAD tip: It can be a good idea to break up a complex mesh into multiple pieces because the mesh can build up a lot of polygons and lots of polygons can hamper solid element operations 0:03:57
  The questioner wants to create a mesh that is part grass and part mulch (forested area) these areas are adjacent to each other and need to be synchronized together at the right heights correctly. Eric explains the critical issue for making them align is to put the external points of all meshes that are adjacent to each other on top of each other in plan view. You can then go to the 3d window and raise or lower the meshes together to the correct position 0:04:50
Issue with walls cleaning up in plan, but their joining line showing in elevation and 3d, even though they have the same materials Start 0:13:09
  ArchiCAD tip: Struggling to select something e.g. walls – Then select the wall tool in the tool box, and then you should be able to shift and click to select the wall easily. 0:15:30
  Eric explains the need for consistency when you draw things. He decides to flip the reference lines over on a wall, to make it match up with all the other wall reference lines. Note: You can’t just change the reference line side in the wall tool (as this will change the reference line and move the wall’s position), you need to change the reference line using (design>modify wall>reference line>invert all sides) as this will change the reference side, but will keep the wall in the same position 0:16:05
  Eric shows how to offset the reference line in a wall using the wall selection settings. This would be used to line up the reference lines of two walls that are joined together: where one on the adjoinng walls is a different thickness to the other 0:21:00
  Eric demonstrates a workaround which is used when the walls can’t be made to clean up. It involves drawing a white line over the part of the drawing in elevation, that won’t clean up. This procedure acts as camouflage 0:30:20
  ArchiCAD tip: Sometimes when there are clean up problems, it is because there are two walls on top of each other; therefore this is one line of enquiry that should be looked into  
Issues concerning cleaning up three way wall intersections Start 0:38:20
  ArchiCAD tip: There is a toolbar available that can be pulled out that contains on screen view options. This can be quicker than keep going into the menu and finding it manually. Window>toolbars>on screen view options 0:39:58
  Eric demonstrates some of the many types of three-way wall intersection junctions. He also demonstrates how to make a polygonal wall piece, to act as a junction, to tie the three walls together. This would be used if you can’t get the shape at the wall junction that you want, or if the three walls won’t clean up properly. Note: The big limitation when doing this procedure is that it can’t be used for composite walls as a polygonal wall can only have a single fill colour 0:40:41
  Eric demonstrates how to make a patch to cover up un-cleanable lines and hatches on the plan. Note: For this command to work a marquee must first be drawn 0:47:16
  After you create the patch you then need to edit it. You do this by opening the object and then clicking on the button “2d symbol”. 0:48:49
  Note: The patch can be copied/mirrored and moved to other locations in your drawing and hotspots can be added allowing for more exact positioning. It is also good practice to put the patch on the same layer as the thing it is covering up. 0:52:52
  ArchiCAD tip: If you’re doing a lot of clean-up work where you constantly need to be sending objects to the back or to the front by right mouse clicking and then clicking on the required option – Then bring out windows>toolbars>arrange elements; this toolbar will allow you to conduct these operations much faster 1:01:53
When user was in sections or elevations changing from “auto-rebuild model” to “drawing” he was having problems with unwanted fills being brought along and asked if there was a quick way of deleting these in a couple of clicks Switching from auto-rebuild to drawing: means turning the drawing (in this view) into 2d elements, so objects like walls can no longer be selected (just the fills and lines) 1:05:43
  To delete all the fills in a particular view – select the fills tool and then go to edit>select all fills and press delete. To delete selective fills go to the “find and select” command in the edit menu. Here you would keep adding a criteria until you have narrowed down what you are looking for 1:12:33

ArchiCAD Training – Coaching Call – May 15, 2012

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